HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARINES AND HARD DAY FOR A BROTHER
By Andy Weddington
Tuesday, 10 November 2026
Duty is the essence of manhood. – George S. Patton
This evening my wife and I will sit at a bar – to dine, to toast our Corps.
Of course, a bar. Of course.
The short L-shaped bar is the magnet of our favorite small family-owned farm-to-table restaurant. Regulars, they know us.
And Joe, the gregarious, skilled barkeep – who has a Marine in the family and gets it, I will ask to pour a beer (to grace the bar for the duration of the evening) in honor of 251.
We celebrate!
But under sobering news. A week ago came short text from a Marine brother (retired SEAL) known for some 43 years - back to Recruit Training Regiment, Parris Island days …
“Sorry to report my Spokane deputy son-in-law, Mason Acheson, was wounded in a shooting incident yesterday and did not survive. His partner also succumbed to his wounds.”
Police officers with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, Mason Acheson and Parker Perry were too Soldiers.
Two young men – Americans; warriors and patriots.
Their story made national news.
Both married with two small children; Officer Perry has a third on the way.
Families devastated. Children not old enough to understand and who one day will only know of their brave fathers.
As eerie as life can be, our brother Marine shared that his mother and his late son-in-law, Mason, shared the birthdate 17 August. Both died 04 November, two years apart. That the sort of confounding piece of ‘Grand Design’ we mere mortals are not supposed to understand but inspires us to keep the faith.
I share the following link for more about the story. And as venue to help Mason’s family if feeling so inclined.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/honoring-mason-acheson-supporting-hannah-their-sons
Not long ago this afternoon I learned to Mason’s delight his youngest son was born on 04 July a year ago. Yet another bit of that ‘Grand Design.’
I cannot imagine.
Thank God for men like Mason and Parker.
Thank God for Marines.
Happy Birthday, Marines!
Semper Fidelis.
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